We don’t have the system in place to produce singles players: Prajnesh

MELBOURNE: Prajnesh Gunneswaran is the lone Indian in the singles main draw at the 2019 Australian Open and the 29-year-old rues the sorry state of the game back home, which he thinks will not improve even if he pulls off a miracle to reach the final in Melbourne.

Cricket lords over other sports in India and the country of 1.3 billion has no men or women singles player currently in the top 100 even though it has produced decent doubles players in recent past. Reaching the singles main draw at a Grand Slam in itself is a success in cricket-mad India, which has only seen Yuki Bhambri achieve the feat since Somdev Devvarman played in the 2013 US Open.

Gunneswaran is India’s highest-ranked singles player at 112 and will meet American 20-yearold Frances Tiafoe, who is ranked 39, in his opening round on Monday after booking his spot at the year’s first Grand Slam through the qualifiers.

“It’s a good thing and a bad thing,” he said in an interview on Sunday. “It’s good for me personally because obviously I get a bit more coverage and a bit more presence in the media.

“But I would also like to see more Indians in this part of the tournament, in the main draw, doing well, making it to the second week like we do in doubles.”

He dismissed suggestions that his Australian Open appearance could motivate more players in the world’s second-most populous country.

“I don’t think there is any lack of motivation. We don’t have the system in place to produce players so no matter how much motivation is there we will not produce any players even if I make the final,” Gunneswaran said.

“Somdev has been 70 and we had other players in the past who have been top 30 but that didn’t produce another 100 players.

Gunneswaran feels India’s search for quality singles players would not end anytime soon.

“We need an entire system and infrastructure, from coaches to fitness trainers, a centre where the youngsters can go and play and develop and get better.”